Amy Downes: The Content Wizard

There's something that's been bugging me about social media ever since I started working as a freelance content manager... 😤

It's basically the first thing you learn when you work in any marketing field and too many people are ignoring the advice:

⚠️You need to use your content to engage with your audience, not to broadcast a message AT them.⚠️

👉 Put it this way, there's nothing worse than meeting someone at a networking session and having them talk at you for ten minutes.

😕 You won't make a connection with them

😕 You won't remember half of what they say

😕 And you won't leave with a good impression or desire to work with them

😎 Social media is exactly the same, it's a chance to network and engage with others every day, so make the most of it.

Make sure every piece of content you put out there is created with your audience in mind, responding to their needs and giving them great value.

🤨 How do we figure out what those needs are?

We LISTEN to them.

And the good news is, that's super easy!

Just spend time chatting with people, commenting on posts, getting to know them.

You're probably already doing this every day, so now you need to get super-intentional with your actions by making sure you're engaging with the right people.

I'll be sharing more tips around this on Wednesday, so pop back and see me, and let's start making a real difference for others through your business and your content.

🤔 What is the point of doing what you do?

🤔 I mean, what is your mission?

🤔 And more importantly... are you staying true to it?

I'm not promoting any of my services at the moment because it's the summer and I want you to be able to take a well-deserved break.

But I also know that giving yourself time away from social media can also give you the space you need to think about the bigger picture of your strategy.

👋So, this is a little nudge from me to think about your mission, your reason for doing what you do.

All too often we get distracted from our goals, re-directed by disasters happening and a change in business plans.

But that overall idea we had, the one that meant we were going to make a difference in the world, should always be there to bring us back on track.

And don't forget, social media is the best way you can do that, it can help you spread the word, get other people on board, and start to have an impact on their lives.

If you're a woman who wants to make a difference through her business and her content, I really want to help you (that's my mission!).

And I've got a Bank Holiday Offer coming that will genuinely make a difference for your social media.

But before we get to that, I'd love you to share your mission with me in the comments...

Here are some that have been shared with me over the years by some amazing women in business.

Are you a parent in business who feels like they’re being hidden under an invisibility cloak every time you post on social media? 😨

I’m Amy Downes: The Content Wizard and I am here to wave a wand over your social media, so you can spend less time on content creation and more time making magic happen in the world. 🪄

My mission is to empower small business owners and give you the knowledge you need to grow your social media, either by handing the reins over to me, or learning how to do it yourself.

The transformation of your pages happens in one of two ways:

🪄 The ‘Wizard’s Transformation’, Done-for-You package.

🪄 Training services to help you learn the skills you need to apply to your business, including the popular ‘Content Cauldron’ planning session and the brand-new ‘Social Magic Success’ course.

And when you work with me you will:

⭐️ Reduce the time you spend on social media while improving your results.

⭐️ Have a clear strategy for sustainable results.

⭐️ Share regular posts on your pages that contain consistent messaging.

⭐️ Build engagement on posts that lead to future clients.

⭐️ Create a ‘Vault’ of posts that can be used and reused. (This one is unique!)

You’ll no longer see it as a chore, but as a tool with which you can make magic happen.

‘Wand’ to start the transformation today?

Book a free, 30-minute, mini-strategy call with me now by putting the word CALL in the comments.

I've been hiding something under my Invisibility Cloak...

But before I share it with you I want to tell you about my business and how I help fellow parents in business transform their social media.

The journey to becoming a social media manager has been a long, winding, and often dramatic one, so I've cut it down to five things you need to know.

🎤 I originally trained as a journalist and then worked as a freelance radio news reporter.

I loved getting to speak to small business owners and share their stories.

📉Sadly, the global recession hit and I had to take on temp jobs to get by.

But still got some work experience placements in PR. (My favourite was working for the press team at Donny Rovers!)

🤝I got tired of floating and pushed myself to find a permanent job with stability and career development options - landing a job in the PR team for a large, corporate company.

It was here that I learned so much about strategy and planning!

But wait, there's time for another twist in this tale...

😨A few weeks after finding out I was unexpectedly pregnant with my first child, I was made redundant.

It was a huge shock that wrecked my confidence and left me feeling terrified for my future.

🤩BUT, it did give me the chance to work out what I really wanted to do... and that was social media!

👩‍👦So, with my very young son balanced on my hip, I set up as a freelancer and worked for lots of different PR agencies, learning the tricks of the trade and how to create content.

Over time, though, I began to feel at a disadvantage not being able to work directly with business owners, and that is when The Content Planning Wizard was born! 🧙‍♂️

I launched my business amidst the pandemic, with a free, five-day challenge, and from that my Facebook group (The Content Wizards: Social Media Support for Mums in Business was created.)

Since then, my business has grown, guided by the needs of fellow parents in business and always with a goal to make your lives easier.

If you've read this far, I hope you found this interesting.

And I'd love you to let me know in the comments if you'd like to find out how I can wave a wand over your social media 🎤

Hubby and I had a magical day exploring in York yesterday, it was the perfect prologue to quite a big week with my business!

There was a Harry Potter tour complete with quiz questions which we, of course, excelled at (I had to tell Luke to stop beating a ten year old at one point 🤣).

I got way too excited when she asked about Harry/Jo Rowling's birthday (the same as our anniversary) and the car he stole in book two (our wedding car).

And then we went on a Guy Fawkes teamed Treasure Hunt which kept us entertained and took us through some pubs 🍺

It definitely reignited my love for Potter, which has always been there but sometimes goes a little quiet.

And the timing couldn't have been better because this week I'm very proud to reveal the new branding for my business.

Lots more magic coming me way over the next few days, I hope you'll join me!
york

Something magic this way comes... I hope you'll be just as excited about it as I am!

With my Summer Planning Session complete, it's time to look ahead to September and I am so ready to reveal something enchanting to you.

My business is going to be four years old and, after a lot of work behind the scenes, I'm going to be shouting 'Wingardium LeviOsa' to lift things up a notch.

Since 2020 I've been helping fellow mums in business tranform their social media by supporting with content strategy, planning and creation. In that time I've learned so much about what you need from me and, most importantly, figured out the best ways I can help.

So, I've spent basically the last 12 months pulling all that together, honing my services and transforming the way I work so I can be poised with my wand ready to cast some powerful spells for you. I hope you'll join me this week as I reveal the unmissable incantations you need to transfigure your social media AND the way you feel about it.

Busy day of calls yesterday, working with clients to get ahead with their social media for the summer!

🪄 First: A free, mini strategy call to chat about how a lady's page and Group can be used differently, but together, for her caravan holiday business.

🪄 Second: My regular planning session where we mapped out what another lady is going to post throughout August and September for her singing CIC.

🪄 Third: Signed up to work with a brand-new client 🥳 to support with her strategy and content planning on a bespoke package that suits her business.

I know we all need a rest over the summer, but it's alsona great time to take stock of your social media and be ready to hit the ground running in the busy September period.

If you missed the planning session but feel like it would have been useful, I've decided to run a mini-masterclass in my group to share some tips.

Make sure you're in there so you don't miss out The Content Wizards: Social Media Support for Mums in Business

Parents in business, this is your last chance to work with 'The Dumbledore of Social Media' to get your social media Content Planning for the whole of the summer holidays. 🪄

😔 I know you're already going to be juggling ALL the plates while the kids are home for six weeks.

😔 And I also know that social media is probably going to have to be the first ball you drop - because you can't make that mistake with any of the others.

😔 But doing that means you'll end up with a gap in your content and you'll lose momentum with your online army.

And you don't want that!

🤩 You want to hit the ground running and already have potential clients engaged with your posts when we head into the busy and important September period.

I promise I can help with this - with my popular Content Planning Session. 🎉📅

Costing just £77, this is an online, small-group session that lasts 90-minutes.

🪄 I'll guide you through the exact process I use to create content for all my clients and help you apply it to your business.

🪄 You'll get a bespoke workbook which includes paper planners for July, August and September.

🪄 And, my favourite bit, we'll come up with LOADS of ideas for your content that you'll be able to use this summer and beyond.

🪄 Then, we're going to put all those ideas into a plan and I'll give you feedback on tweaks we can make to ensure your posts have the best impact.

🪄 Finally, (a new addition for this session) there is also going to be an implementation session next week to hold you accountable and make sure you get that content written and scheduled.

⚠️ Heads up - this is the last time my planning sessions are going to be available at this price.

I want the price to reflect the incredible value they offer, so in September that's going to rise to £97, and in 2025 it will rise again.

🤩 But, if you book this month I’ll honour that price for all your future tickets, too.

😍 Sound good? Of course it does!

Join me tomorrow at 12:30pm for just an hour and a half, and we'll get your posts all planned out for the summer.

🦉✉Want to know more?

Pop an emoji in the comments or send a message now, so we can get you booked on with the other business owners who're ready to transform their social media with me!

There's something special about being in a room with fellow mums in business and sharing your ideas for all the great things you want to do in your job.

I love the way having someone there who understands your life can spark inspiration, but also boost your confidence massively. It's the main reason I decided

I wanted to run my Content Planning Sessions regularly, because whether you're with me in Leeds (like these ladies were) or joining me online, the ultimate goal of the session is to save you time creating content for your pages and, most importantly, leave the session feeling confident and excited about the posts you're ready to share.

My mission is to make sure social media is transformed from being a chore you hate, to something you love and believe can be used to make magic happen. It's not too let (yet!) to sign up for my next planning session, pop an emoji in the comments or send me a message if you'd like to get booked on today.

The six-week holidays are nearly here, and I know you would love to have a loooong break while the kids are at home.

But can you really afford to take the whole summer off?

Or do you need to make sure you keep the momentum going with as little time and energy as possible, especially when it comes to social media?

I want to make sure you're not starting from scratch in September, digging around trying to find content ideas and desperately hoping for better engagement on your posts.

I want you to be able to enjoy the next couple of months, and still be able to hit the ground running when you return in September. How are you going to do that?

Well, if you can give me just 90-minutes on Thursday at 12:30pm, we're going to get your content planned for the rest of July and the whole of August.

I'll get you into a position where all you have to do is get the posts scheduled, and then you can take a step back from creating content for a little while. I'll make sure you don't end up with a massive gap in your posts, but instead keep showing up consistently to show people how you can help them. In case this hasn't been enough to convince you, here are 4 more reasons why you should be getting your content planned for the holidays:

- Consistency: Keep connected with your online army all summer long.
- Efficiency: Save yourself time (because you're not going to have much to spare) by scheduling posts in advance.
- Momentum: Keep your online presence going and avoid the notorious 'summer slump'.
- September Surge: Parents are motivated and have more time when kids go back to school, and you need to be ready!

It's that last one that I believe makes this my most popular and important planning session of the year.

September is the new January for so many of us parents in business, so you can't afford to go missing in the build up to that vital period.

My next planning session is taking place this Thursday (11th) at 12:30 and I'd love to have you join us.

Want to know more? Pop an emoji in the comments, or send me a message today.

Can’t believe there are only two weeks left until the summer holidays - half-term seems just a few seconds ago!

When we were off in May did you:

😔 Find yourself spending hours on your phone when you didn't want to?

😔 End up feeling guilty for working when you felt you ‘should be’ focusing on the kids?

😔 But also feel guilty for having family time because you felt you ‘should be’ focusing on work?

🪄 Have you ever thought it would be great to plan your content for the whole summer, but felt completely overwhelmed by such a daunting idea?

✨ My Content Planning Cauldron session will help you manage all these things and more.

✨ Putting aside just 90-minutes this week for content planning and creation will mean you get to enjoy that holiday you’ve worked so hard to pay for, rather than missing out on precious moments with your kids.

You’ll be able to step away from your phone and enjoy a well-earned break, or focus on other areas of your business in the short amount of time you’ll have for work while they’re at home for a month and a half.

You'll be able to rest easy, knowing that your posts will be showing up consistently for your audience – even in those moments when you’re otherwise engaged with a glass of wine and a good book in front of a beautiful sea view.

Plus, when you get back from your break, you won’t have to play catch up with your engagement, tagging everyone in every post and desperately scratching around for leads from a following that has stopped seeing your posts.

✨ The online workshop is taking place on Thursday 11th July at 12:30pm - but if that date doesn't suit you, pop me a message because we may be able to add an additional date.

✨ If this is something you need, pop the word cauldron in the comments ✨

This final half-term of the year is a funny one. 😕

After the time off at the end of May you’re glad to be back into a routine…

But you’re also already looking forward to the time off from everything in July.

The summer holidays are a much-needed break from the daily grind of chores/school run/work.

Yet, you don’t actually get a chance to rest because there’s so much to do with the kids, not to mention having to find dots of time in the day to get some work done.

One of my biggest lessons from 2023 was to make sure I plan in time out and make sure I properly switch off while I’m away.

I spent May half term last year worrying about some stuff that was going on with work, and it meant I didn't give my head the rest I needed.

Eventually, that led to a complete breakdown where some days I couldn't even face getting out of bed. 😔

Something had to change.

So, this year I put a super strong boundary around that ‘me time’ - and I made sure to step away from work completely.

It meant I went into June feeling refreshed, focused, and ready for the next chapter of my business! 💪

Now, the goal with work is to get ahead with my jobs again in preparation for the summer holidays, so I can make sure I have replenishing family time when the kids are home.

And then when I get back in September I’ll be raring to go!

Now I want to help as many other parents in business as possible do that too.

So I’d love to know, how do you manage over the six-week break?

Do you close up shop for the whole lot?

Do you have some time off, but try to work as much as possible?

Are you going to try doing work and childcare at the same time?

Or are you working the whole way through and expecting a VERY busy time?

If you’d like some help getting social media off your to-do list before the hols start, to free up some time when they get here...

I just wanted to quickly share that my summer planning session is happening next week and it's designed to do exactly that.

Details to come, but if you'd like to find out more now, feel free to pop me a message. 🦉✉️

The whole point of social media is to help people get to know, love and be desperate to work with you.

You want them to shout to the world about how amazing you are.

BUT they can only do that if they know exactly what you do.

And I'm afraid too many small business owners aren't making this clear enough in their content.

Some aren't sharing their business story at all!

You must regularly include posts that explain this to your online army clearly and consistently.

(Oh I do love that word when it comes to social media... consistency!)

The trouble is, you're at the very heart of your business and involved with every single detail of what makes it work.

And when you're that close to a story, it can be hard to take a step back and know which parts should be shared with the public.

The temptation is to share everything that is going on, but that can be overwhelming for your online army (not to mention for you if you have to come up with and schedule that many posts!).

Ideally, we need to pull out the parts of your tale that are vital for your business goals and create social media posts to support those.

Think about:

✨Your mission.

✨Your values.

✨ Your 'why'.

✨ How your 'Chosen One' this month relates to each of these things.

Each of these bullet points could provide insight to your business ethos and encourage your online army to want to work with you.

Why not use them to help build yourself a content plan for the rest of this month?

If this is something you'd like help with, drop me a message today because it's my area of magic and I know I can make a difference for you!

Small business owners: Have you checked your social media stats for March, yet? 🤔

Creating content for your business can become such a chore, especially when you feel no one's seeing your posts.

So you probably bury your head in the sand a bit when it comes to checking out your Insights or feel like it's not important.

But, it is important to know what content is resonating with your Online Army and to use your results to help you plan for the future.

So, as you're planning for April, starting with a look back at March is key. 🔑

Take a look at your:

✨ Reach: See how many people you've touched with your content last month.

✨ Followers: Your Online Army must be consistently growing.

✨ Content Interactions: Shows which content your Online Army is engaging with.

✨ Top Posts: I'm covering this topic in more detail on Wednesday!

⏩This week, check out your stats for the month and let me know how you've got on!

If you're pushed for time, as so many of us are at this time of year, I've got the perfect thing for you:

🪄 My Content Review will look back at your statistics for March, so you can be fully prepared to transform your social media in April.

🪄 As well as the stats above (and more), I'll pull out your top performing posts from the year AND make suggestions for how you can reuse and repurpose those going forward.

Want to know more? Pop the word 'REVIEW' in the comments, or drop me a message with any questions.

List of goals I achieved in March 2024:

😍Celebrated my 40th birthday in my favourite place.

😍Got to see Ipswich win (6:0) at my second home.

😍 Reminded myself of the incredible people I have around me

😍 Began working with an exciting new client.

😍 Achieved my best monthly income in business.

😍 Most importantly, the progress is feeling sustainable. And an unexpected extra one:

😍 Was asked my multiple clients to set up an additional planning session in April!

It’s been an exciting month, but I don’t feel like I’ve had the chance to rest and that’s left me feeling very overwhelmed. So, last week I got back to basics and planned out my ‘client journey’ (again).

It was a reminder to focus on the things I know are helping people with their social media and helping me achieve all the things I want to.

The ultimate item on that list is being able to live and work in this place – and I can only get there if and when I focus!

How was your March?
And do you have any exciting plans for April or May?

Do you share pictures of your kids on social media?

I'm going to confess right here and now, I am one of those people that will happily use gorgeous pictures of my boys to tell a story on social media.

Just this week I’ve shared some precious memories of my eldest to share our experiences of being an autism family and my opinion that there needs to be better support for families like us.

Sharing these stories allows me to show you the woman behind my business, so that, over time, you will get to know me, love me, and be desperate to join my online army of Wizards making magic happen online.

I also know lots of you will be familiar with the daily battles a working mum with an autistic child faces, so my hope is that by sharing some of my troubles you might feel less alone.

I DO encourage you to share your story, because I want to know more about the wonderful woman behind the business...

BUT, you should never feel uncomfortable or exposed about sharing your personal life online. I know it's not possible for everyone, and sharing pictures of yourself and your children is an important, personal decision.

And I don't want you to worry this will mean social media is not going to work for you - we just have to find an alternative that works for you!

There are lots of ways to share this side of your story without having to overstep the boundaries you have rightly created when it comes to sharing online.

Here are just a few ideas:

💫 When you're out and about, take a beautiful photo of the location you're in - you don't have to include people in the image.
💫 Take photos of your children from behind, so we cannot see their faces but can see the scenario they are in.
💫 Use objects that relate to the story you're trying to tell, perhaps the craft items you've been using with your children, or the special lunch you made.

Let me know in the comments, do you share photos of your children and personal life on your social media?

How to convert followers ➝ to fans ➝ to sales.

The whole point of social media is to help people get to know, love and be desperate to work with you and want to shout to the world about how amazing you are.

Remember, though, they can only do that if they know what you do.

So, it is vital that you regularly include posts that explain that to them in a clear and consistent way.(There's that word again... consistency!)

The trouble is, you're at the very heart of your business and involved with every single detail of what makes it work.

And when you're that close to a story, it can be hard to take a step back and know which parts should be shared with the public.

The temptation is to share everything that is going on, but that can be overwhelming for your online army (not to mention for you if you have to come up with and schedule that many posts!).

Ideally, we need to pull out the parts of your tale that are vital for your business goals and create social media posts to support those.

Think about:

✨Your mission

✨Your values

✨ Your 'why'

Each of these bullet points could provide insight to your business ethos and encourage your online army to want to work with you.

How do each of those things relate to your 'Chosen One' this month?

How are you going to make a difference for others this week?

Throughout my career there's been one theme that is consistent in every job I did, even the crap ones!

✨ Making a difference

✨ Giving something back

✨ Helping others

I got into journalism to share important news and make a difference to the people who were reading or watching it.

When I worked at Wakefield Council I was helping people reduce their waste and making a difference for the environment, too.

During my time at Doncaster Football Club it was writing stories about how they were making a difference in the community that lit me up.

Then, at the big corporate company, I was over the moon to be working in the charity department and making a massive difference with national events.

It's something I've always been quite proud of and is definitely the most important reason for me working in social media now. 😎

I'd lost my way for a while, I became too focused on sales and not enough on the (many) other, (more) important benefits that social media can bring.

But I'm back now and determined to not only show you how you can make a difference through your content, but to help you do that too.

For more on this topic, I'd love you to join me in my Facebook Group this week where we'll be chatting about powerful impactful content and how to use that to grow your business.

Drop a magical emoji in the comments if you're not in the group, or if you are and want to register for my live on Tuesday lunchtime.

How much life has changed since this first picture was taken over a decade ago, I hadn't even hit my 30's! 👶

All smiles on the surface, this 28-year-old was feeling lost underneath.

😔 She had moved to Yorkshire and doing lots of fun things but just wasn't settling in and had a longing to move back to East Anglia - where this picture was taken.

😔 She was wondering when on earth she would get to start enjoying life.

I loved the freedom and excitement of my twenties, but I spent so much of them wondering when I'd have a family of my own and worrying that it might not happen.

It felt like I was getting very old and running out of time, but little did I know that actually my 30's were when I was going to really get into the swing of things. ⏰

And it is crazy to think about how much life changed between 2012 and 2016, I really didn't know what was about to hit me!

Today I'm entering my 40s, and those same feelings of 'failure' have been engulfing me in recent months.

I'm not where I imagined I'd be at this point in my life, I'm always looking toward the next thing I want to achieve and criticising myself for not doing better.

😍 But today I want to vow to change that, to celebrate this milestone with a fresh mindset.

😍 From this point, I will take more time to be in the moment and appreciate what I have, to enjoy the moment I'm in.

Starting with a fabulous weekend in which my sisters, in-laws, and some very special friends travelled to my favourite place to celebrate with me.

I'm a lucky girl!

Cheers everyone 🥂

Have you ever thought: 'I'd love someone to gift me more success on social media'?

Well, I'm spreading some birthday love this month and offering you exactly that.

Until Sunday 31st March, you can book my 30-minute 'Trouble-Shooter Call' for the bargain price of just £40.

It's the chance for you to get my eyes on your content, so we can figure out the main thing that's holding you back AND overcome it.

🤔 Order yours today and I'll pop you a message to get to the bottom of why you're not seeing the results you need from social media.

📞 We'll pinpoint the one thing you need to focus on first, then book a call together during April.

🪄 And it's during that time together that we'll conjure up a perfect Patronus to 'Expecto Patronus' your social media dementors away.

(Non-Potter Speak: I'll help you come up with a plan to overcome the issue you've been facing.)

Pop the word TROUBLE in the comments if you'd like the link to book.

And why not let me know what one thing is troubling you most about social media?